SPCA busy with influx of winter kittens

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A warmer than usual start to winter has kept a steady flow of kittens purring through the door at the North Taranaki SPCA.

"Normally by now you'd get the occasional one or two litters, but nothing like this," SPCA manager Andrea Collins said.

The staff had usually seen the last of the kittens by June, but this year there were still about 20 little felines in care.

"It's quite unusual for us. They're coming in as quickly as they are going out," Collins said.

"It must be the warmer weather we had."

The constant cost of feeding this year's extended flow had outweighed previous years and while the public had been very generous, the SPCA had run out of donated kitten food and had been buying it instead.

"We just couldn't keep up with the demand. There has been so many kittens out of season."

Cats are about to come into their normal breeding season next month and Collins said by early November there would be a new year of kittens ready for adoption.

With the new breeding season approaching, Collins said now was the time to get cats desexed before it was too late.

"The kittens all leave here desexed, but unless the public helps as well, it hardly makes a difference.

"It costs a lot more to feed a litter of kittens than it does to have a cat spayed."

The kittens, as well as 14 puppies, are up for adoption from the SPCA, which is open from Monday till Saturday, 10am til 4pm.

Anyone wishing to donate food can drop it off to the SPCA at 75 Colson Rd, New Plymouth.